The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-03-04
VICTORY FOR THE VETO.
The House Sustains the Presidents Ac
ton Regarding the Dependent Pension
BiIl-A Lively Debate.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 25 - In the House
Mr.. Matson qnd.) called up the Depend
ent Pension bill, with the veto message of
the President thereon. MFR. Conger. Qa-)
said he thought that the report of the COM
mittee was complete answer to the Pres
ident's hyperbolic criticism on the meas
ure. Mr.. Warner (Mo.) said the country
should blush to see one of the least of its
defenders the inmate of a county
poor house. This bill would take many
of them out of the poor-houses.
Mr.. O'Hara On. CO., in favoring the bill,
said that the colored men did not go to the
war, as the President said they had, for
dollars and cents. When the Fifty-fourth
and Fifty-ffth Massachusetts, composed
exclusively of colored men, went out they
were offered less than other regiments, be-
cause they were black They spurned the
money and said: "No; we are in the cause
OF liberty, if you can not pay US what you
pay other soldiers, we will fight for our
flag and country without compensation
Mr.. Bragg (Wis.) said it was for the
members of the House to look after the in
terests of the real soldier end the business
interests of the country. They had drifted
along, impelled by species Of sympathetic
influence, regardless of reason or Judgment,
until the period was reached which culmi-
mated in the presentation and passage OF
one of the most scandalous bills which had
ever been sent to President for his sig
nature. The people of the country,
without regard to party, had every
reason to be thankful that this bill had
been presented to an Executive who had
backbone enough to meet the situation. In
a few years the soldiers of the country
not the bummers-wouldh have arrived at an
age when they could come to Congress and
demand as right-not ask as a charity
that provision be made for them. Let not
Congress bankrupt the treasury before
that time arrived by yielding to the de-
mands of deserters coffee-coolers and
bounty-jumpers. The men who advocated
the bill were not the friends of the true
soldier. They advocated this BILL many of
them, simply because the men could vote
whom they expected to buy by this bill
Mr.. Henderson Qa.)-"For one, pro-
nounce that false" Applause on the Re-
publican side and in the galleries.
Mr. Bragg-"I say that that is the sub
stratum upon which all this action is
based. If these men whom they call pau
pers were to call upon them individually
for aid they would say to them: "You
competent to work as we are.n
Continuing, Mr.. Bragg said the bill
would grant pensions to the men who
served from December, 1864, to June, 1865.
He characterized these men as the scum
of the earth because they staid at home
till they were bought. The soldiers who
were in alms-houses had come from them,
and had only returned to their original
condition.
Mr.. Steele Qnd.) interjected remark
Mr.. Bragg said that he knew that the
gentleman who had just interrupted him,
II he dared vote his conviction, would vote
as he (Mr. Bragg did. He knew
gentlemen who had committed them
selves day after day in opposition
to the principle of the bill and were
grateful for the veto. [Cries of ssWho
are they?"] I know what 1 am
talking about. have heard them. IRE
peated cries of ''Name them; name your
men. You can't do it," and much noise
and confusion] "The Republican Con-
gressmen, all of them,' was 4El.s IL.
reply, which was greeted with mingled APP
plause, laughter and jeers.
Mr.. Bragg said the press opposed the
bill and sustained the President. That
gallant soldier, the Governor of Maine,
Chamberlin, stood by the President.
Mr.. Boutelle-''Yes, and he stands alone
in Maine" Applause on the Republican
side. II speak for Maine" Ulcers of
the Democrats and cries of ''Sorry for
Maine."]
Mr.. Bragg Continuing great SOL
der, Palmer, of Illinois, stood by the Presi-
dent. Old Dan Sickles of the Third Army
Corps said that the veto was most glori-
GUS deed. Brave men of all parties stood
by the President. 1t was only the little
that opposed him."
Mr.. Henderson Ga) Tcontemptuously1 /
"You stand by the President?''
Mr. Bragg-"No staff commissary can
ever excite me. am speaking for what 1
consider the soldiers interest. The largest
Grand Army post in my State yesterday
voted not to ask members of Congress to
go against the President. 1t is only the
class of gentlemen who hang around the
Grand Army posts who crowd themselves
in to get five dollars a week and to live
Apon their comrades who are making this
grand hue and cry"
Mr. Bragg then contrasted the industry
and thrift shown by the Confederate sol
der, who had no hope of pension, with
guS uldu WHO lays DeuluQ III 1Ql6-
ness, waiting for his stipend from the Gov
eminent.
Mr. Morrison Qll.) said he voted for the
bill, but the veto was so far above the high
water mark of ordinary executive indie
pendence and official manhood that he felt
like sharing and taking his little part of the
responsibility.
Mr.. Springer Qll.) thought the President
N0uld have hnnn folcn RI a met
he had not called attention to the ambigui-
ties of the bill and the misconstruction
which might be placed upon it.
Mr.. Mckinley CO., did not believe with
the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Bragg that the benefciaries were either
shirks or vagabonds or good-for-nothing
scoundrels. He believed that there were
thousands scattered over the country who
fought as bravely as the gentleman from
Wisconsin, though they were not here to
tell Of their deeds of courage and glory.
Mr.. Hepburn (Ia) commented on the
fact that every gentleman who had spoken
in opposition to the bill, save one, had
voted for it originally large number of
them, like himself, terminate their official
lives on the 4th of March, and large num-
Der of them, unlike himself, were now
about the White House blending the
pregnant hinges of the knee that
thrift may follow fawning." He de-
MED the right of Messrs. Warner and
Bragg to speak for the Grand Army These
gentlemen had once occupied honorable
positions in that organization, but they are
looked upon to-day, when they rise in their
places and denounce their old comrades as
vagabonds and scamps and the scum of
humanity, as Benedict Arnold was.
The statement of the gentleman from
Wisconsin .(Bragg) that the Grand Army
has repudiated this bill was as untrue in
word and essence as the greater portion of
all his diatribe of abuse against his own
comrades. He called attention to the
growing feeling of unrest and disquiet be-
cause of Communism, Socialism, George
ism and the kindred political vices that
are growing in this country, and warned
the owners of this wealth to keep faith
with the soldiers and with the material
from which soldiers must come.
Mr.. Matson Qa.) closed the debate. He
believed it to be his duty as a legislator to
ask the House to pass this bill
over the Presidents veto. He had been
asked whether the President had ever